The Next Step
by Le Confidant
Summary: Ed needs to fix his lame proposal attempt to Winry.


A/N: Well this is the new and improved version for this story. I hope you enjoy!

I don't have a beta so please no flames!

* * *

'How could you be such an IDIOT Brother!' was the headline of the letter that Al had just sent him to his temporary address in Table City.

Ed flinched when he read those words as he knew that he in fact did screw up with his lame 'Equivalent Exchange' line not to mention that the subsequent suave and nonchalant poise was just a cover-up for such major screw up. The shameful reality was that he lost his nerve to the point that he didn't even kiss the girl. Al was more than right to reproach his actions, he could even picture his little brother smacking him in the head for being such an idiot like he stated on the letter.

'So what are you going to do next?' was really what caught Ed's attention from the overall content of Al's letter. He had already traveled, searched, researched and learned what he needed to, so now it was a matter of deciding his next course of action. He despised that the Alchemist of the People, the one who fought against monsters and demigods, the one who helped save countless lives and Amestris itself, the one who faced off with The Gate to bring back his little brother in one piece didn't have a clue as to how to deal with the matters of love. He knew he had to man up if he wanted to completely win the girl as his half-assed attempt wouldn't suffice in the long run.

Ed concluded that Winry might not be disillusioned with him yet since not a lot of time had passed by from his departure to the West, but alas, he still needed a strategy to fix such an embarrassing blunder. He knew it had to be some sort of peace offering, something that would place him on Winry's good graces. He thought of the time he and Al bought Winry silver earrings as a token of thanks for all her efforts in helping with automail repairs, and for dealing with him and his recklessness. Ed clearly remembered how she was most delighted by what he considered a simple gesture. Maybe purchasing new earrings would help him woo her the right way or

"-buy her a ring that compliments the earrings you already have given her", said the voice inside his head which oddly sounded like Al.

Ed was surprised upon hearing 'Al' in his head yet he acknowledged the voice upon realizing that it was indeed a brilliant idea.

The voice replied an 'idiot' back to him.

Ed chuckled then headed out to the nearest jewelry store.

* * *

Winry had just returned from running a quick errand for her grandmother. She opted to enter the house through the kitchen door as she knew that her granny was in there preparing supper but she was rather surprised to discover that her grandmother was nowhere to be found. Winry searched around the house until she overheard Pinako talking to someone from the living room area. She tried to figure out who she was talking to but she was too far away to do so. When she walked into the living room she saw Edward having a lively conversation with Pinako. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Ed but she quickly managed to conceal her excitement before either one of them noticed it.

Winry couldn't tell if Ed and her grandmother were fighting. She already had determined that the conversation was about Edward being suddenly back due to him somehow getting into trouble once again. The thought of a broken automail leg was slowly but steadily invading her mind thus summoning that special type of fury that she reserved only for him.

"What did you break now?", was her rude greeting. "Didn't I tell you to call if you needed to make an appointment?"

"Um- sorry?" was all he could say to her not knowing why he was apologizing for in the first place.

"Now, now. Don't be so harsh Winry. I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason for being back. Don't you Edward?", Pinako interjected.

"Um- yes I do. Um- could you check the leg please?", he told Winry cowering behind a huge smile. He knew very well that he didn't have anything broken but it was the only way he knew how to approach Winry without loosing his cool and he couldn't afford loosing his cool for was he was about to tell her.

Pinako rolled her eyes as she already knew the reason why Ed was back in Resembool. "Idiot", she said to him then she got up and headed to the kitchen to check on the food. "Winry why don't you check Ed's leg now? I'll call you both once dinner is ready", Pinako shouted from the kitchen.

"Now?", Winry whined to her grandmother.

"It shouldn't take you long", Pinako replied, trying to help Ed out.

Winry frowned then sighed in frustration and finally caved in to her grandmother's request but not until she glowered at Ed. "Let's go. Now."

Edward swallowed deep and followed her without saying a word as he knew that he had angered Winry and was now threading on dangerous grounds.

* * *

"Sit", she spat. "So what did you break this time?"

"Winry I-", he was at a loss for words.

"I what?", Winry quickly countered, her patience at its limits.

"There's nothing wrong with the leg", he admitted.

Winry gave him a dismayed look. She abhorred being toyed with. "Then why are YOU here?", she yelled, wrench already in hands.

"Uh- I wanted to give you this", he said while quickly brandishing a small velvet box in front of her face. Hopefully this tactic would quench her wrath like it happened in the past with the silver earrings.

"What's this?" Curiosity had already kicked in and her wrath was now extinguished, a small victory for Ed.

Winry opened the box and saw a shiny and elaborated silver ring inside. "Oh Ed.

Winry was mesmerized by the ring he just gave her.

"I wanted to give you a ring that matched with your earrings. I found this one back in a small town and-"

"This is beautiful Ed!", Winry squealed with utter delight. She let the wrench drop to the floor and hugged him. Ed's face was as red as a tomato.

He was happy that Winry liked the gift but he still needed to tell her about the next step that he intended to take. Edward took a deep breath and gently pulled her away from the embrace.

"There's more", he managed to say while trying to sound nonchalant.

Winry looked puzzled but waited for him to speak.

"Winry that ring is just a temporary one as I plan to give you a better one- one that has a diamond affixed to it." He held his breath and waited for her reaction like he did almost a year ago.

"Ed-", her eyes welled up. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" She was now holding the small velvet box tightly in her hands.

"Winry- would you marry me?", he said straight to the point as this time he wasn't going to screw up like he did back at the train station. By now his heart was beating so fast that he thought it was going to burst out of his chest.

She just stared at him in amazement while tears were happily rolling down her cheeks. It took her several minutes but she managed to regain her composure.

"Yes Ed", she answered with joy.

Edward was relieved as he was afraid she would say no. He held her once again and grinned from ear to ear. By now he felt so confident that he took the liberty of pressing his mouth onto Winry's in what became a passionate kiss.

It was their real first kiss.

* * *

Each were blushing fiercely when they pulled away from the kiss. They just stared at each other for what seemed like a lifetime.

"Finally", Winry said while breaking the silence.

"Finally what?", he responded, questioning the meaning of her remark.

"You FINALLY proposed to me the way you were supposed to do in the first place", she answered, playfully teasing him.

Ed took offense but quickly smiled at her. "Al wrote in a letter that I was an idiot for the way I proposed to you back at the train station."

"Well he's right you know. You ARE an idiot- but you're my idiot", Winry said while caressing his face.

"So you will be marrying this idiot?, he said being slightly annoyed by the blatant name-calling.

"Yes and YES!", she answered while a joyful laugh escaped her mouth.

Winry wrapped her arms around Ed's neck and pecked him on the lips. "I would be an idiot if I don't", she added. "I love you Ed."

He smiled.

"Love you too", he said to her then kissed his girl once again.

* * *

A/N: This is sort of an omake for Coveted but not really... it can be read as a stand alone one shot.

I really needed to write something that was happier as there is too much angst in Coveted so yes this is what would have happened if Ed hadn't been such an idiot in the other story.

Thanks again to all who have read, alerted, faved and reviewed this story even though the first version sucked a bit! Love you all!


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